- Dijon Métropole has launched its first green hydrogen station to cut CO2 emissions and shift its bus and refuse fleet towards renewable energy. The €100 million project represents a significant step in Dijon’s goal to become a climate-neutral metropolis by 2050.
- The initiative is supported by €24 million in subsidies and is a collaboration between various public and private entities.
In a strategic move towards sustainable urban transit, Dijon métropole unveiled its inaugural green hydrogen fuel station. This significant development came ahead of the “Journées Hydrogène dans les Territoires”. The project, which stands at a cost of €100 million ($107 million), aims to transition the city’s buses and waste collection vehicles away from fossil fuels.
The station’s inauguration was attended by notable figures including François Rebsamen, Mayor of Dijon; Marie-Guite Dufay, President of the Burgundy-Franche-Comté region; Marion Deridder Blondel, President of ENGIE Hydrogen Solutions; and Dominique Darne, President of Inthy. Their collective effort underscores a broader commitment to slashing CO2 emissions by 1,200 tonnes annually, equating to the emissions from 10 million kilometers driven by an average city car.
From 2024, the city plans to power four waste collection vehicles with this clean energy source, with ambitions to extend this to all city buses and 73% of its refuse fleet by 2035. The Dijon Métropole Smart EnergHy consortium, which includes ENGIE Solutions, Inthy, Dijon métropole, and ADEME Investissement, spearheads the investment in this critical infrastructure. This partnership reflects a circular economy ethos, producing hydrogen using locally generated green electricity sourced from waste combustion.
The facility boasts a daily production capacity of 430 kg of hydrogen and services both heavy and light vehicles. This initiative is part of Dijon’s broader vision to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and dependency on fossil fuels by adopting locally sourced renewable energies. Over the past decade, these measures have already reduced the metropolis’s greenhouse gas emissions by 23%.
Nouvelle station d’hydrogène de Dijon Métropole
The project, which benefits from over €24 million ($25.7 million) in subsidies from various governmental and European entities, sets a precedent for future expansions including a planned South station in 2026 to further meet the growing demand for green hydrogen in Dijon.
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